Improvement in railroad-frogs



E. H. JHNSTUN.

Railroad-Frogs.

Pate'ned Sept. 29

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ EDWARD H. JOHNSTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WHARTON RAILROAD-SWITCH COMPANY.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-FROGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,378, dated September 29, 1874; application filed March 25, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD H. JOHNSTON, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Railroad-Frog, ot' which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to make a frog ot' a rigid and permanent character by combining the rails and distance-pieces with certain clampingbars, wedges, and bolts, in the manner described hereafter, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in Which- Figure l represents a plan View of my irnproved frog; Fig. 2, a transverse section on the line l 2; Fig. 3, a section on the -line 3 4; Fig. 4, a section on the line 5 6; Fig. 5, a section on the line 7 8; Figs. 6 and 7, detached views drawn to an enlarged scale.

D and D are the outer curved rails of the frog, and F and F the inner rails, converging to and terminating in a point, a, in the usual manner. The rails rest on clamping-bars A, ot' which three are used in the present instance, and at each end of each bar is an inwardly-inclined ange, b. The rails are maintained in their proper relative positions by the Wedges B and distance-pieces e, the latter' being adapted to the rails in a manner clearly shown in the drawing, and being secured to the clamping-bars by bolts f, or otherwise. The Wedges B, to which my invention more especially relates, are of the form best observed in the enlarged perspective View, Fig. 6, and enlarged view, Fig. 7, each wedge being made tapering longitudinally, having a lip, w, to overlap the flange of the rail, and having its outer edge beveled to accord with the inclined ange b of the clamping-plate.

The inclination of the ange b of the clampingbars and the corresponding' bevel of the outer edge of each Wedge are such that on driving the said Wedge between the ange and the web of the rail it shall have no tendency to rise, but retain its horizontal position, for, While the rails are confined vertically to the clamping-bars by the distance-pieces and their bolts, the lateral coniinement of the rails to the distance-pieces is dependent entirely on the Wedges, and the latter should not be hampered byA the bolts g, which pass transversely through both Wedges and clamping-bars; in other words, the Wedges must be capable of performing their duty of laterally confining the rails Without the aid of the bolts, which are simply' used for retaining the wedges in their positions after being driven, although they contribute in some degree, When their nuts are tight, to the vertical binding of the rails to the clamping-bars- In this respect, the action of the wedges,with their bolts, ditfers essentially from the clamping-pieces and bolts frequently used in connection with railroad-chairs, for the duty of such clampingpieces in coninii'ig the rails to their places is dependent upon the bolts.

I claim as my invention- The combination ot' the rails and distancepieces of a frog with the clamping-plates A, Wedges B, adapted to and depending for their proper positions on the beveled iianges b ot' the clamping-bars, and with the transverse retaining-bolts g, all as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD H. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

WM. A. STEEL, HARRY SMITH. 

